- The Lead: A huge ninth inning rally lifted Assumption past Merrimack 10-5 today, as the Hounds trailed 5-3 with two outs in the ninth, before they rallied to score seven unanswered runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

- Sophomore Kyle Autilio (Saugus, Mass. / Saugus) took the mound for the Hounds and lasted 4.2 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) while walking three batters and striking out five. Sophomore Manny PegueroMelo (Boston, Mass. / Xaverian) and junior Colton King (Westerly, R.I. / Moses Brown Prep) combined to pitch two innings of scoreless relief, with King improving to 2-0 on the season. Freshman Brendan Desautels (Holden, Mass. / Holy Name Central Catholic) came on in the ninth and pitched a clean inning, striking out two batters.

- Merrimack got on the board first, scoring in the first on a double and a RBI single. Senior Andrew Jaehnig(Quincy, Mass. / Boston College) responded in the fourth, launching his third homerun of the season, a solo shot, to tie the game at one.

- The Warriors regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning, scoring one run to go ahead 2-1, before plating two more in the fifth and one more in the sixth to take a 5-1 lead.

- Assumption cut into the lead in the seventh, when junior Trevor McQuade (Westwood, Mass. / Xaverian) led off with a walk and was subsequently followed by another walk by classmate Hunter Tralli (Berlin, Conn. / Northwest Catholic). Senior Jake Byrne (Grafton, Mass. / Saint John's) then recorded a RBI single which scored McQuade from second, before a throwing error allowed Tralli to score from first, making the score 5-3.

- With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Hounds loaded the bases which set the stage for Jaehnig to play the hero and the senior did not disappoint, roping a bases clearing triple to give the Hounds a 6-5 lead. Assumption did not look back, scoring four more runs as McQuade and junior Dominic Alfano (Farmington, Conn. / Farmington) combined to knock in three more runs.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

- Jaehnig had a huge day at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, a homerun and triple.

- Alfano went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI, while McQuade and Tralli each scored two runs.